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High Crescent Lunge Pose (High Lunge)

Elisha in Crescent Pose (High Lunge), front knee bent at 90 degrees over the ankle, back leg strong and straight with heel lifted, arms extended overhead alongside the ears, spine long and chest open
Root through the feet, reach through the fingertips.

High Crescent Lunge Pose is a high lunge with the arms reaching overhead, creating a powerful full-body shape that stretches the hip flexors, strengthens the legs, and opens the chest and shoulders all at once. Unlike Warrior 1, the back heel is lifted and the hips are free to face forward naturally, this makes it slightly more accessible and a great stepping stone toward Warrior 1. It appears constantly in Vinyasa flows as a transition and as a held pose.


How to Practice High Crescent Lunge Pose (High Lunge)

  1. Begin in Downward Facing Dog or a standing position.

  2. Step your right foot forward between your hands, knee stacked directly over the ankle.

  3. Keep your back leg strong and straight, back heel lifted, pressing through the ball of the back foot.

  4. On an inhale, rise up and sweep your arms overhead alongside your ears.

  5. Keep your front knee at 90 degrees and your hips as square as possible.

  6. Draw your lower ribs in and reach actively through your fingertips.

  7. Gaze forward or slightly up.

  8. Hold for 5-8 breaths, then switch sides.


Modifications & Variations

  • Back knee down: Lower your back knee to the mat for a Low Lunge variation that reduces the demand on the back leg.

  • Hands on hips: Keep your hands on your hips to focus on the leg alignment and hip flexor stretch before adding the arm reach.

  • Shorten the stance: A shorter step makes it easier to balance and keep the front knee stacked.


Bring Your Practice to Life


A large group of yoga students practicing on the grass in Golden Gate Park on a sunny day, with trees and a blue sky in the background

Free Yoga in Golden Gate Park


Every summer I teach free outdoor classes at the Whale's Tail in Golden Gate Park, June through October. Bring your mat, bring a friend, and meet me on the grass.


Elisha seated in meditation on an open-air wooden yoga shala, surrounded by tall wooden posts, with a misty lake and mountain range visible in the background at sunrise

Yoga Retreats Around the World


Ready to go deeper? I lead small-group retreats in some of the most beautiful places on earth. A few days of practice, good food, and real rest can change everything.



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